Hey guys sorry about the wait, but it's getting pretty busy around here and I kinda have been sick with a cold. Anyway this chapter takes place the day Charlie and Katherine get ready to leave for London, and it also shows a flashback of how Katherine managed to escape from her parents' house, plus a little taste of what she felt for Draco when he was a baby. Read and please leave a review.
Two months later:
Katherine was out on the patio of the small mansion sipping a cup of hot tea while watching Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback play with a baby Chinese Fireball and Swedish Shortsnout. As she took another sip she lay back a little more in her chair and began thinking about Draco. She'd never actually spoken to her brother, but only kept a close watch on him and knew since Lucius messed up at the ministry, Draco was going to be used as a tool to get revenge for the Dark Lord.
Flashback:
"He's so cute, looks just like his daddy." Narcissa said happily staring at the small baby in his cradle asleep. The two proud parents were laughing happily with their in-laws at the newborn baby boy.
"Yes indeed he does Cissy, he even has his eyes. What an adorable little tyke." Bellatrix Lestrange giggled reaching her hand onto the infant's head stroking soft strands of blonde hair.
Katherine was watching her family spoil the boy they named Draco through her magic mirror Andromeda gave her last year. It allowed her to see whatever or whoever she wanted, whenever she wanted. As she looked down at the small infant, she began to cry at how he was receiving her parents' love and affection, when all she ever got was the cold shoulder and harsh comments. Her teardrops fell upon the mirror's surface and she let the vision vanish before glancing at the large clock in her room. It said eight-thirty-six p.m., so she grabbed the sandwich on her nightstand Missy the house-elf left her thirty minutes ago and ate the whole thing then finishing her water.
'Lucky you Draco…at least you'll know when you get older mummy and daddy love you like you're their greatest treasure. I wish they could love me like they do you.' Katherine pulled the sheets up to her neck and snuggled the little rag doll in her arms before falling asleep.
End of flashback:
Katherine placed her glass in the sink of the kitchen before she wandered into the room she shared with Charlie, a large room with two closets, two beds, two chests of drawers, a window, and a nightstand. Kathy's bed was next to the window, and lying on the pillow was the doll her mother gave her, and pretty much the only thing she loved from all the other toys her parents gave to her. The doll looked the way it had all those years ago, but the hair was a little unruly, and the dress had a few spots on it, other than that it was in perfect condition.
Kathy picked up the doll and stroked its hair before hugging it to her chest. This doll was all she had left to remember the way her family treated her, but it was also the only unreal friend she had next to the house elves when she still lived at Malfoy Manor.
"Oh dolly, after all these years I still feel like a scared little kid inside…it's almost as if I don't know who I am anymore."
"Still talkin' to the doll eh?" Katherine jumped slightly and turned to see Charlie in the doorway with a smug look on his face.
"Honestly Charlie can't a woman ever have a moment to herself when she's thinking about the past, especially when it involves a scared kid that's not the person thinking it?"
"It's Draco again isn't it? I don't blame you for being worried about him, I worry about my family everyday…even if they were about to become a murderer."
"Don't say that Charlie, Draco is not going to be like my father!" Katherine squeezed the doll tighter and sat down on her bed pouring her eyes out. Charlie came over to the bed and hugged her around the shoulders and she leaned into him. He rubbed her back and her sobs deceased quickly since he knew how to make her quit crying.
"Now, let's just think about this for a minute…Lucius messed up back at the Department of Mysteries, and now as his punishment Voldemort's going to leave him locked up in Azkaban for lord knows how long, and maybe use Draco as a tool in return. Dear Godric he'll torture the poor kid, Draco has no possible chance of completing any task Voldemort gives him without help…and it's going to turn up pretty badly for a while."
"How in Merlin's name is that supposed to help them?"
"It's not, it just means we need to make sure no matter what the consequences that Draco, Narcissa, and if possible Lucius are safe; wait…where'd you put that book? Y'know the one about creating a magical trace on a family member so you can see when and where they're going exactly?"
"Up on the bookshelf—hold on you're not thinking what I think you're thinking are you?"
"Yes, and we'll do it once we return to my parents' house."
"Well we aren't leaving until tomorrow and almost everything's packed…so we might as well."
"Okay, bookshelf on the left of the kitchen right?"
"Living room on the right honey…I'm just going to get back to packing my things alright?"
"Alright, but dinner's going to be ready soon so make it quick."
"You know you can't cook too well Charlie."
"I know that's why we're eating leftovers…sound okay to you?"
"Alright, but next time you come up here, knock first or I'll hex you into the next century."
Charlie just laughed and walked out the room shutting the door behind him and Katherine brought her legs up to the bed and leaned back against her pillow, still holding the doll to her chest as another flashback came through her head.
Flashback:
"Is young mistress ready?" a little house elf named Candy asked as Kathy was finishing up the note she would leave her parents letting them know she was leaving. She didn't say where she was going, only that they wouldn't have the trouble of seeing her ever again, since they didn't love her. Here's what the note said:
Mother and Father,
I can't stand it any longer, the rejection, neglecting, ignorance, and stern talking I've had enough. It's been my intention that you both don't love me since you wanted a male heir like Draco.
I hold no grudge against any of you, but I won't grow up to be a lonely woman the way you probably intended it to be. You could've sent me away as a baby, and I wouldn't have been such a despicable child born into this world. I wanted you all to see how I could've been such a good daughter to you, but every time I tried you turned away from me.
You won't have to worry about me anymore, because I'm leaving to find a real family who'll appreciate and love me, in ways you could never share with me. You never taught me love, but the only love I feel now, is the love of freedom. I can't say I hate you, but I don't know if I love you either; I love Draco, because he's my brother, but he won't know about me because you won't tell him like I'd expect. I'm not your problem anymore, so I'll just disappear and you can never worry about a wretch like me.
Farewell Narcissa, Lucius, and Draco Malfoy, we shall never meet…again.
Katherine Elizabeth Black Malfoy
Kathy folded the note and left it on her bed with a small silver locket containing both her and Draco's picture inside. She kissed the locket and set it down on the envelope. Taking the doll into her arms she turned back to Candy and hugged the small elf.
"Yes Candy I'm ready, I'm going to miss you and the other house elves. You were all my most trusted friends next to Dora…but maybe we'll see each other again."
"Candy will miss young mistress as well, but Candy thinks young mistress will be better off with Tonks family."
"Dobby thinks so too Mistress Malfoy." Dobby showed up in the room and Kathy pointed to her window where Dobby apparated out into the garden and Katherine waved good-bye to the other house elves before climbing down her three story window with a tangle of vines surrounding the walls of the house. She found Dobby hidden in the garden bushes outside with her suitcase and the doll she was bringing and grabbed his hand before they apparated into her aunt's house. There her cousin Nymphadora ran up and wrapped her in a bear hug and almost squeezed the breath out of her.
"It's so good to see you again Kat, now that you're moving in with us and all!!" Andromeda came into the room and Kathy immediately squirmed out of Dora's death grip and into her aunt's open arms.
"It's great to see you all again too, but I've only been gone for two weeks. Where's Uncle Ted Aunt Andie?"
"He's out working dear, but he said to give his love until he comes back in the morning."
"Oh, Aunt Andromeda are you sure it's okay if I stay with you? I mean I could always go and find another home…"
"No dear, you are more than welcome to stay with us. Ted has already taken care of things at the ministry, we're going to adopt you as our second daughter, but we'll need to give you a different name."
"I already have one, but why can't my last name be Tonks like yours?"
"It will be dear, but when you attend Hogwarts in just six years, like Nymphadora…"
"Don't call me that mummy!!"
"Like Dora in four years, you'll need a different last name so your parents don't suspect anything, plus we'll need to change your appearance a bit as well." Andromeda took out her wand and pointed it at Kathy's pale blonde hair and changed it to a deep brownish-red color, next were her eyes, and they changed a little from a beautiful blue to a deep brown color. Her skin changed from fair to light tan, and Dora squealed at the sight of her and gave her a mirror to see what she looked like.
"Wow, I like it; but isn't this illegal?"
"No honey, what we're doing is adopting a young child rejected by her family and if we have probable cause, which we do, then we are able to adopt a child by their decision if the minor is old enough to understand between right and wrong. And since we have all this, we can adopt you into the family, but we'll need to pull a few strings."
"Okay, I guess this is alright. I think I have a name…um, what about Cecilia?"
"I like it, mother?"
"It's a pretty name; do you know that was your great-grandmother's name, Cecilia Black?"
"Yes, but what'll I have for a last name?"
"Maloney dear, Cecilia Melissa Maloney; now let's get your things up to Dora's room, I already have dinner ready and the extra bed is out for you."
"Thank you Aunt Andie…"
"You're welcome honey…now come on grab a bag and follow me upstairs." Kathy did as she was told and walked upstairs to the bedroom where Uncle Ted had placed an extra bed opposite of Dora's along with a cute nightstand between them. Dora had a lot of toys to play with, one Kathy could play with while she was at Hogwarts for the next six years. Kathy squealed in delight and jumped onto the bed with Tonks joining her. They giggled and Andromeda came over with Dobby, who had been quiet up until now, and hugged both girls.
"Dobby, I want you to find a way, once a week to let me see Draco that night. I want to check and make sure he's alright wherever and whenever he grows up."
"Shall be difficult, but Dobby will help young mistress visit young master Draco once every week. Dobby will miss little Katherine, but Dobby will pray young mistress stays good and alive for as long as You-Know-Who is still out there."
"Great, now you'd better hurry back and remember, don't tell anyone about this alright?"
"Yes mistress, Dobby promises!" Dobby apparated out of the room and Katherine helped her aunt and cousin unpack her things to get settled in her new home.
End of flashback:
"Come Kathy we have to eat now!"
"Alright, alright I'm coming! Just let me put away my things!" Katherine threw the doll in one of her bags along with the rest of her clothes before running down the stairs and into the kitchen where Charlie had placed the leftover rabbit stew from the previous night on the table after he made it steaming hot. Katherine shook her head and laughed before she came over to the table and they ate in peace before washing and leaving for bed. They were in their night clothes and Charlie was about to pull the covers on himself when Kathy walked in wearing her white, long-sleeved, silk nightgown and strode over to his bed. He looked up at her and she felt a blush coming to her cheeks.
"Kat what's wrong? Is there something you need?"
"N-No Charlie…I just w-wanted to ask….if I could sleep with you tonight…I don't want to be alone…?" this had been the first time Kathy had asked Charlie to sleep with her, since they decided they wouldn't share the same bed until they were married. The memory of grieving for her parents' love had made Katherine feel lonely inside and she didn't want to risk crying in her sleep. Charlie smiled at her and scooted over leaving room for her to lie down.
"Of course you can Kat, but if you fall off it's not my fault." Kathy smiled and climbed into the bed with her fiancé and snuggled close to him before pulling the covers over with him and before she fell asleep she tapped his shoulder and he looked at her puzzled.
"Charlie…?"
"Hmm?"
"Hold me…please…"
"Heh, as you wish my love." Charlie's arms went around Katherine and she snuggled closer before kissing his nose and falling straight to sleep.
8:30 the next morning:
Katherine awoke to find the bed empty of Charlie, but their bags were gone and the bed appeared to be made. Katherine sat up to find a piece of paper on the nightstand and she picked it up seeing it was from Charlie.
Kathy darling,
If you read this note it means I'm already up and outside waiting for you by the carriage. I've already packed a meal for you on the way there and your clothes are on your bed along with your coat and hat. Truth be told you won't need them soon but it's cold now so put it on anyway. I'll see you outside sweetheart…
Love you
Charlie your fiancé
Katherine laughed and got up out of the bed before she put on her clothes, including a blue outfit with brown designs matching her boots with studded blue stones. Along with that she put on her brown jacket with the scarf Mrs. Weasley made for her last Christmas. Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail and she remembered she'd forgotten to change her looks last night. With a flick of her wrist the red hair, tan skin, and brown eyes were back, and she looked in the mirror to make sure it looked perfect otherwise she might give herself away.
'Okay Kat, time to return home.' Kathy grabbed her purse on the rack and immediately turned out all the lights after brushing her teeth and going out the front door, locking it to see her knight in shining armor in front of the carriage. He smiled and opened the door and she kissed his cheek after he mumbled something that made her laugh.
"Your carriage awaits milady!"
"Oh shut up Charlie you're starting to sound like I'm royalty."
"To me you'll always be royalty."
Romania train station:
They had arrived at the station thirty minutes ago after buying tickets and getting their luggage checked Charlie looked around for the portal to the wizard station. Katherine was walking with her suitcase in hand along with her cat Moesha in a cage and Charlie's owl Aries on the trolley with their other luggage. They walked for five minutes before they spotted the portal like in London in between platforms nine and ten; in an instant they ran through the portal and found themselves in the station to London. Katherine took the trolley and rolled it over to the luggage compartment where the man nodded and started loading up before she walked over to Charlie and they handed in their tickets and loaded themselves on board.
They sat in a compartment in the middle of the train and Katherine pulled out a book she'd brought not noticing that her doll had fallen out of her purse halfway. Charlie laughed and Kathy blushed scarlet before pushing the old thing back into her purse.
"Couldn't let it go could you?"
"What, she hates being in the suitcase I couldn't leave her there." Charlie laughed and Katherine threw a ball of paper at his head smacking his eye. He threw it back at her and when it hit her she kicked his leg in surprise.
"Do that again and I'll get you harder got it?!" her voice was low and her eyes went back to the book in her hands letting Charlie know she probably didn't want to be bothered since she had that damn doll with her. Every time he saw that doll Kathy would get so emotional it was hard to control her sometimes. Kathy could sense his disturbance and grasped his hand in hers giving him the puppy eyes.
"What's with the look Kat, I'm not mad you know?"
"I know but I love giving the face since it calms you down so easily dragon!" this time her lip poked out and Charlie kissed her lightly making them both giggle. The train continued on and they would be in London soon, two hours soon at least.
London Train Station:
"Charlie hurry up Moesha's getting cranky, plus your mother's gonna kill us if we're late for the fourth time!" Katherine wasn't the most patient person to deal with, but she managed to keep her temper in check since this would be their fourth or fifth trip they'd been late from Romania in years.
"Alright Cessy I'm coming!" Charlie had to call Katherine by her other name since death eaters could without a doubt be posted everywhere even after the past few months since it was close to fall. Summer had gone by fast but frankly Kathy preferred time during school hours. Scrimegour was now the new minister of magic and he didn't know about Katherine's other identity as a Malfoy and she planned to keep it that way until the right time.
"About time, I don't want to risk another one of your mother's tantrums, and I'm dying to see your siblings again. When's the last time I saw them…oh yeah, six months ago!" Charlie grabbed another trolley and loaded their luggage before they walked out to the front door where Lupin and Tonks were waiting for them with Lupin's muggle car. Tonks came up and hugged them both while Katherine hugged Lupin and Charlie shook his hand.
"Good to see you again sis!" Tonks said taking a suitcase.
"You too Tonks, where's Moody?"
"He had to work, something about watching Harry Potter get ready for school."
"Oh yes, no arguments there. How've you been Remus?" Charlie asked helping load the luggage in his and Tonks's arms.
"Great so far, I've been staying at my parents' home for a while but I do go and see the Weasley family every now and then. They're doing fine just so you know."
"Glad to hear it, well we'd better get going before mother Weasley gets worried over us all." Katherine helped grab two bags and followed the others to the car and loaded the entire luggage into the trunk of the car. Once it was inside they got into the small car and Lupin began to drive until they came into a dark tunnel where he turned on the invisibility booster and they flew off into the air.
"I had a feeling this car wasn't exactly normal." Katherine mumbled so low that no one could hear her. They didn't talk much on the way there, but after about forty-five minutes they finally landed in the Weasley's front lawn. It was bright and sunny out and Kathy thought it was a beautiful day to be with her favorite family.
"We'll get the bags, you girls just go on inside."
"Oh how very considerate of you Charlie, but you're not eating your mother's meals until you get everything inside." Kathy knew Charlie loved his mother's cooking, and she did too, but sometimes the man would get so hungry it was hard to make him do any work at all.
Charlie groaned but let it go as Katherine winked at him meaning she'd slip him something later on. He loved it when she did that, sometimes she'd act so devious and sneaky it was hard to tell if she was a Black or Malfoy.
Tonks and Katherine went to the door and knocked on it gently before it opened quickly and Molly Weasley grabbed them both in a death-grip embrace. She released them after they'd lost most of their breath and led them into the kitchen quietly while everyone else was upstairs. Bill and Fleur were already there, but were outside in the garden feeding the pigs and chickens. Charlie and Remus walked in and levitated the baggage into one of the empty closets downstairs.
"Oh girls it's so good to see you again. Charlie come over here and give your mother a hug before I get upset." Charlie obliged and hugged his mother before a sound of footsteps coming downstairs made him pull away to see it was Arthur. Both men embraced each other and Katherine hugged her future father-in-law not daring to take off her disguise since only Bill, Charlie, Molly, Arthur, and Fleur knew she was really a Malfoy. They hadn't told the kids yet because it was the middle of the war and she couldn't reveal who she was until the war was over; that was when she and Charlie planned to get married.
"Molly where are the others? I'm dying to see them, especially little Ginny."
"Well she's not so little anymore…GINNY, RON, FRED, GEORGE, BILL, AND FLEUR GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!!" that screaming almost knocked everyone off their feet but knowing Molly she'd always be like that when guests were around. Storming footsteps came down immediately to the kitchen and the whole room was filled quickly.
"Mum what's all the—Cessy it's you!" Ginny came over and Katherine hugged her tightly soon to be joined by Fleur. The girls giggled and let loose as Katherine saw her two favorite pranksters on the steps in shock for some reason.
"You two gonna sit there and stair or give your sister a hug after her long trip home?" the twins laughed and embraced Kathy along with Ron and Bill who later on joined Fleur and Ginny on Charlie.
"You still in the Prankster business boys?"
"Right you are Cecilia! We've been in good business lately!" the twins said together.
"Wonderful, what its name again; Weasley's Wizard Wheezes right?"
"Yes indeed!"
"Funny name, but it suits you…oh uh George you have a little spot on your shirt there."
"I'm Fred…"
"No you're not, you're George c'mon boys you should know by now that I'm able to tell you apart no matter how similar you look."
"Cogswallop…I'm telling you I'm Fred!"
"Knock it off George you know you're joking."
"I am not!"
"Ha you see! Fred would never fight back if anyone could tell it was a joke or whatever."
"Not fair!"
"Who said anything about being fair?" everyone laughed and Molly led Katherine upstairs to Charlie's old bedroom and left her there to unpack since they would be staying there for a while. Katherine reached into her bag and pulled out the doll setting it on one of the shelves that held a few books. Looking outside she would wait patiently for Harry Potter to arrive and meet him since Dumbledore would bring him the next morning or so.
Hope this is a good one, and enough of the hate mail since the girl in my Naruto story is and I'll admit, a Mary-sue. I'll try to make my story characters tougher and maybe less emotional if that's possible. Okay it is possible and it could take a while. Later and no more hate mail got it!!